1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and composition for microbiologically stabilizing a toothpaste phase during the manufacture of a bicarbonate-containing toothpaste.
2. The Related Art
During normal toothpaste manufacture, it is common to form a "premix" of the liquid and water-soluble portions of the paste to facilitate semi-continuous production in the final product mixing tanks. To ensure microbiological stability, this premix phase is held at above 125.degree. F. U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,979 (DeMasi et al) is typical of this art.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a desirable toothpaste ingredient used as a mild abrasive. Unfortunately, this material cannot experience temperatures above 100.degree. F. without undergoing decomposition. Therefore, it is necessary to cool any hot premix phase down to below 100.degree. F. before combining baking soda therewith. This cool-down procedure is costly, time-consuming and adversely impacts plant output rates.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means for microbiologically stabilizing a premix phase below 110.degree. F. so that the phase can be combined without any prior cool-down with a bicarbonate component.
A further object of the present invention is production of a sodium bicarbonate toothpaste that can be formed in a semicontinuous process without using intervention of a cooling step during addition of the various components.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bicarbonate-containing finished dentifrice product that has been microbiologically stabilized.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the more detailed description and Examples which follow.